It’s that time of November when Gratitude is the trending word once again – no SEO needed.

With Thanksgiving celebrations throughout the US, being thankful naturally becomes forefront. There’s a universality with the experience of gratefulness and an abundance of eloquent expressions.

 Three of my faves: 

 "If the only prayer you said was thank you that would be enough.” - Eckhart Tolle

 “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions.” - Zig Ziglar

 "I am happy, grateful, and exhausted.” - Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (following the Tokyo Olympics).

 I think we can all agree that we just feel better, more positive when we feel a true sense of gratitude - there’s something that lights up on the inside.

 And what if I told you that something actually does light up on the inside?

 Neuroimaging consistently reveals that experiencing positive emotions such as gratitude and thankfulness stimulates the prefrontal lobe of the brain encouraging the production of happy hormones -- serotonin and dopamine.

Yes, it’s true!

This means you may notice feeling more focused, less stressed out, and a greater sense of joy; you may even sleep better.

In the context of equestrian sports, gratitude can significantly improve your interpersonal relationship with your horse and also your team.

Grateful athletes build healthier partnerships and make become better teammates and leaders. It also bolsters happiness within the day to day aspects of the sport resulting in less burnout.

Gratitude is also considered to be a natural antidepressant and has the potential to reduce toxic emotions such as feelings of jealousy, resentment, regret, and frustration, that can be disruptive to team-cohesion and accessing a flow state of mind for optimal performance.

The benefits of gratitude are clear and it’s important to also understand that the gratitude muscle, like any other muscle, must be flexed periodically to remain strong. 

What can you do? Adopt an attitude of gratitude!

Try this:

Keep a Gratitude Journal – Establish a daily routine of recalling and writing down moments within your day that you’re thankful for. It doesn’t have to be a big deal, just a simple noting each evening that keeps an energy of gratefulness alive in you. If daily is just not feasible, create a lesser rhythm—just commit to it.

Use Visual Prompts – Strategically place photos of your horse, people you care about, significant ribbons or test sheets - maybe even post it note reminders to inspire you to just pause a moment and say thank you.

You’ll be amazed about how more of what you desire shows up in your life when you feel grateful for what you already have.

Connect with us to find out how we can support you with your goals and mindset!